Chicken Tetrazzini



I had some leftover grilled chicken breasts I wanted to use. The description of chicken tetrazzini in the Gourmet cookbook sounded great, but I didn't like the idea of 4.5 hours of prep time. James Beard had a recipe which was quicker, but which used peppers rather than mushrooms, and didn't use nutmeg. I made this hybrid on the fly, and the family reviews were great. This could be a great potluck dish if the spaghetti was broken into smaller pieces, so that it was easier to keep on the silverware while holding a plate with one hand.

2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced (I used Cremini)
6 TBS butter
6 TBS flour
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
salt, pepper
1/4 tsp Sherry
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 lb. spaghetti
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ยบ

Saute mushrooms in 1-2 TBS of butter until they are softened, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the sauce: melt remaining butter in saucepan, then stir in the flour. Cook over medium-low heat until bubbling. Stir in chicken broth, continue to stir until sauce is thickened. Add cream, salt, pepper, Tabasco, sherry, and nutmeg.

Cook and drain spaghetti. Place in baking dish which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Add half the sauce and the mushrooms, toss together until well mixed. Add the chicken to the other half of the sauce, pour over the top. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and the bread crumbs. Bake until pale golden, 25-30 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Posted: Sun - September 18, 2005 at 09:13 AM        

©